Levels of Heavy Metals in Soya Bean and Some Cereal Samples from Shani and Kwayakusar Local Government Areas in Borno State, Nigeria
I. B. Lawan *
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
M. C. Zynab
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
I. M. Addullahi
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
M. Zakari
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
C. A. Joseph
Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, University of Maiduguri, P.M.B. 1069, Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Grain (soya beans, sorghum and maize) samples from Shani and Kwayakusar Local Government Areas, Borno State, Nigeria were collected in agricultural locations for the determination of heavy metals. The levels of heavy metals were determined using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AA–6800 SHIMADZU). The levels of all the heavy metals studied in all the agricultural locations were higher in the post-harvest grains than in the pre-harvest grains. Results from the Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR) showed that, there was the possibility of developing cancer related diseases from the consumption of cereal samples from the study area with respect to the 10-4 tolerable limit. The results further suggested that the source of these heavy metals content in the grains samples might be largely as a result of the application of agrochemicals. Hence, consumption of the study cereals from the study area is of health risk with respect to Pb, Cd and As and should be given higher priority by relevant agencies.
Keywords: Heavy metals, cereals, daily intake, average daily dose